


That Story

by Miss_M



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Poetry, Pre-A Game of Thrones, Pre-Canon, Robert's Rebellion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-15
Updated: 2014-12-15
Packaged: 2018-03-01 15:57:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2779055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_M/pseuds/Miss_M
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rubies are red, roses are blue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	That Story

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a fictional poem quoted in Pamela Dean’s _Tam Lin_. I own nothing.

Wars start not as an avalanche, but a clacking loom. A broken betrothal, the arrogance of royal power pitted 

Against the arrogance of strength, youth, honor braided tightly with righteousness. Or self-righteousness. It becomes hard to tell.

Pieces moved about, marshaled, kept close or sacrificed. The cyvasse board rearranged again. The board will survive.

Children, dead for the childish whims of those who came before and should have thought harder,

Heartbroken or merely mad that a favored toy was gone before it gave enough joy,

Squeeze out another drop of pleasure. The mad at least are mad, no more.

Their thoughts and intent unknown: the abandoned princess, the lord’s daughter run away

Or abducted, the queen who knew screams for her husband’s mating call,

The prince who was not promised, the lords who made war.

Promises wrung, kept and not kept, break them like warhammers.

In a throne room, a boy makes a choice.

What people don’t understand, they destroy or fetishize. 

Two girls in towers despair and die.

Rubies are red, roses are blue.

Jewels bleed in the stream.

You know: that story.

All fall down

Before the

End.


End file.
